But a meddling busybody makes the judge give her custody "because an unmarried man shouldn't raise a little girl." Now Jackson has until Christmas to find a bride or lose his niece forever. Larkin Doyle is grateful her employer took in the orphan and believes Jackson abandoned his niece. When her heart says otherwise, will romance blossom? Little Dutch Bride by Kelly Eileen Hake — When Jerome Sanders inherits his grandfather's farm, he vows to do whatever it takes to honor his grandfather's memory. What he didn't see coming was that it would take a bride by Christmas to earn the money! Idelia van der Zee is over the moon when a telegram arrives asking for her hand. But she balks when Jerome's motive is revealed. Will Jerome realize he wants Idelia for her own special self in time to prove his love? An English Bride Goes West by Linda Goodnight — Anxious to secure her new life in the American West, Katherine Wiltshire needs to locate her deceased father's land and get a husband by Christmas. Compelled to redeem his former life of crime, Charlie Landing must prove himself as the new sheriff and a acquire a wife. When the two find themselves engaged, can Katherine learn to trust God with her future? Will Charlies learn to trust God with his past? The Cossack Bride by Therese Stenzel — Spunky, Christian heiress Anastasia (Anna) Federov is on the run from a guardian who plans to marry her for her money. Hoping to choose her own husband before the forced Christmas wedding, Anna places a newspaper ad. Though uninterested in marriage, Kansas rancher Jace Brackett hires Anna to be his housekeeper while she searches for a suitable groom. But then the evil guardian gets wind of Anna's whereabouts.

    So she brings holiday joy to others: repairing her grandmother's nutcracker and commissioning a dollhouse for the girls at the orphanage. Yet one knock at the woodcarver's door unexpectedly brings Arley a gift of her own: love.A Blessed Season by Jillian HartAn abandoned girl asks bounty hunter Rafe Jones to track down her long-lost mother for Christmas. The holiday wish breaks through his hardened heart, and he easily finds Cora Sims in Montana Territory. She's definitely the woman Rafe has been looking for. But is she actually the girl's mother?

    Could this be the answer to her prayer for independence? During their adventurous journey, both Annie and Ike learn that freedom's promise holds more than either of them ever dreamed.

    In White Christmas by Cara Putman, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help. Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theatre in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew?In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and God’s plan for a future?

    Includes 'For the Love of a Child' by Sally Laity, 'Miracle on Kismet Hill' by Loree Lough, 'Christmas Flower' by Colleen L. Reece, and 'God Jul' by Tracie Peterson.

    In stories ranging from 1820s Regency England to present-day Washington state, readers will be treated to Christmas tales of an heirloom brooch passed from mother to daughter for almost two hundred years. Will the family legend claiming the brooch brings love to its recipient hold true for these women separated by the years but bonded together by the ties of family?In Kristi Ann Hunter's "Legacy of Love," Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson. While he may be far above her station, she can't help but notice that his desire to make this Christmas special for his grandmother matches her own.In Karen Witemeyer's "Gift of the Heart," widow Ruth Albright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local banker. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love as the holidays draw near.In Sarah Loudin Thomas's "A Shot at Love," Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her mother's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance one December.In Becky Wade's "Because of You," Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?

    When her plans for a festive holiday with her family in Stirling crumble beneath the weight of her brother’s bitterness, the young schoolteacher wants nothing more than to return to the students she loves and the town house she calls home.   Then an unexpected detour places her in the path of Gordon Shaw, a handsome newspaperman from Glasgow, who struggles under a burden of remorse and shame.   When the secret of their shared history is revealed, will it leave them tangled in a knot of regret? Or might their past hold the threads that will bind their future together?   As warm as a woolen scarf on a cold winter’s eve, A Wreath of Snow is a tender story of love and forgiveness, wrapped in a celebration of all things Scottish, all things Victorian, and, especially, all things Christmas.

    But Dogwood, Texas, seems to be plagued with emotional and physical dangers, especially for four women thrown into the arms of high adventure and unexpected love. Texas Honor - Rachel Isaacs, hoping to keep her family ranch going, encounters a man who says he is Travis Campbell, a family friend. The man's stated goal of helping Rachel in time of need is thrown into question by his suspicious actions. Soon, another man is identified as Travis Campbell. Who can she trust when one ends up dead? Texas Rose - When Kate Lowell's fiance dies, she vows never to love again. But then she meets handsome widower McCall Adams, who still clings to his wedding vows. When Kate agrees to tutor McCalls Indian-born son, she steps into a web of mysterious secrets. Texas Lady - Magnolia Alexander comes face-to-face with her tragic past and heart-to-heart with the man of her dreams. Will she have to forgo a chance at love in the view of the mounting danger confronting her search for truth? Texas Angel - Angela Isaacs is faced with risking her job and reputation by hiding a convicted felon from a posse of lawmen. Can she trust Reverend Noah Thorndyke when he says his conviction was a case of mistaken identity? As tension mounts, Angela must decide if she will believe in Noah enough to lay her own life on the line. When the going gets rough, these resilient women struggle with turning their backs on love or trusting God to see them through. Discover the intrigue, the adventure, the romance of the South, and the charm of the past in four complete novels from acclaimed author Debra White Smith.

    Ike Reeves shows up for a surprise Christmas visit, exhausted and filthy. Ike claims the right to escort Laura home and outlaws after Ike turn a simple ride into a fight for their lives. "A Town Called Christmas" by Ruth Logan HerneWhen gruff English pioneer Edward Stillwell offers a former prostitute a job, he gets more than he bargained for: a wagon train more! With winter rolling in, can Sylvie’s faith, hope and optimism be just what the guilt-laden Idaho rancher needs to love Christmas—and people-- again? "Designs on Love" by Myra Johnson. Ranch foreman Jacob Collins has had designs on Vera Mae Beasley since their schooldays. When the pretty seamstress returns home to settle her late family's affairs, Jacob hopes his Christmas surprise will win her heart and convince her to stay. "A Whisper of Hope" by Julie LessmanWith a husband dead set against adoption, Charity O’Connor Dennehy has barely a whisper of hope for more children, but if hope doesn’t disappoint … will it be enough to find a precious bundle under her tree?

    He prefers to live in the London townhouse, far away from Brockwell Court, the old family secret that haunts him, and the shadows of his past mistakes. But then his mother threatens to stop funding his carefree life--unless he comes home for Christmas. Out of options, he sets out for Ivy Hill, planning to be back on a coach bound for London and his unencumbered bachelor life as soon as the festivities are over.But Christmas in the country presents unforeseen surprises, including encounters with an orphaned apprentice, the first love he disappointed years ago, and Arabella Awdry, a young lady who is far more appealing than he recalled . . . and determined to have nothing to do with him.Will Christmastime in Ivy Hill, with its village charm, kissing boughs, joyous songs, and divine hope, work its magic in his heart . . . and hers as well?

    She certainly doesn't have a husband on her Christmas wish list. But when a wandering carpenter finds lodging at her boarding house, she admits that she might remarry if she found the right man--the kind of man who would bring her roses for Christmas. It would take a miracle to get roses during a harsh Wyoming winter. But Christmas, after all, is the time for miracles . . .Amanda Cabot invites readers to cozy up with a romantic, heartwarming tale of the greatest gift of all--love.

    Love finds a home on Christmas morning in two heartwarming holiday stories. "Deck the Halls" In 1925, the wealthy William Tronnier becomes smitten with the lovely but penniless Lillian Pickard. As Christmas descends on the picturesque town of Cary, North Carolina, William plans to make Lillian a proposal she can't refuse. DEBBY MAYNE is the author of more than a dozen books and lives with her husband in Florida. Read more at www.debbymayne.com. " 'Tis the Season" Nikki Tronnier moves back home in Cary, North Carolina, with plans to buy back the Tronnier family home built by her great-grandfather, William, for his bride, Lillian. But before she is able to make an offer, the handsome Drew Cornell buys the house just before Christmas.

    That’s enough money to bring her brother back from America and reinstate their stolen family fortune. But is she walking into danger? It appears so, especially when she comes face to face with one of the other guests—her former fiancé, Benjamin Lane.Imprisoned unjustly, Ben wants revenge on the unknown person who stole his honor. When he’s given the chance to gain his freedom, he jumps at it—and is blindsided by the anger of the woman he left at the altar.Brought together under mysterious circumstances for the 12 Days of Christmas, Clara and Ben discover that what they've been striving for isn't what ultimately matters. What matters most is what Christmas is all about . . . love.

    Travel by wagon with Delana as she seeks her fiancé in the wild territory. Meet the train with Rosalind as she awaits the arrival of romance. Bump along in a new horseless carriage with Nessa as she is tempted by a substitution for true love. Make new friends and be renewed by their faith in this collection by a talented young author.

    Her former boss, Colter Wells, is back in Dry Creek--with a newly discovered daughter who needs some female guidance. But can one motherless little girl--and the two adults bonded to her and to each other--make up a perfect family?The Christmas Secret by Sara MitchellClara Penrose's bluestocking ways have branded her a spinster among Virginia's elite. Yet a reunion with Dr. Ethan Harcourt rekindles feelings Clara thought long lost. Her second chance finally here, Clara needs only to catch the good doctor under the mistletoe!